The Last of the Rhinos
by Stegosaurus1412
Summary: The Wild Kratts team travels to Africa to say farewell to a magnificent creature who is the last of a dying breed. (Takes place between ORAK and TLW..)
1. Chapter 1

"Guys! Get over here quick!"

No sooner had Koki shouted when the rest of the Wild Kratts team flooded into the main room, gathering around the technician's database. From her place on the central platform, Amber's head shot up, now awakened from her slumber by the sudden disturbance. At four years old, the female Velociraptor was nearly fully grown. A feminine, mechanical yawn sounded from a high tech pad adorned on the crown of the raptor's head as she stretched out her claws, ridding herself of the sleepy feeling at their tips. Once fully awake, she jumped down from her perch to join her 'pack'.

"What is it, Koki?"asked Aviva.

"Incoming emergency call from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya."the Tortuga communications expert replied. "It's Laura!"

"Laura Wilkinson? The ranger?"asked Martin, now all ears.

"Do we know another Laura?"said Chris with a slight smirk, folding his arms.

The older Kratt shrugged. "Touché."

 _ **"Who?"**_ asked the young dinosaur, tilting her head.

Without wasting another minute, Koki answered and a young woman appeared on the main computer panel. A dark brown outdoors brim hat covered golden blonde hair that was tied in a French braid. She also wore a blue t-shirt covered by a beige vest as well as a pair of khaki shorts.

"Hi Laura!"greeted the Wild Kratts team.

"Jambo, my friends,"Laura replied with a smile. " It's good to see you all again."here her smile faded. "But I am grieved to be the bearer of bad news,"

"What is it, Laura?"asked the Kratt in blue worriedly.

"Is it poachers?"asked Chris with a scowl, remembering their last encounter years before.

"No. It's Sudan. His health has been deteriorating."

The team shared a collective gasp of horror. Except for Amber who tilted her head in confusion. _**"Who is this Sudan?"**_

"Yeah. Who's Sudan?"asked JZ, equally confused. "We're talking about a car? Right?"

"No, guys."the Kratt in green corrected. "Sudan is a Northern White rhino."

"The last male Northern rhino on earth."added Martin ominously.

"The last one?"asked the redhead in shock. "What happened to all the others?"

Koki heaved a regretful sigh. "I'm afraid it's not a story with a happy ending, Jimmy." The computer whizz pulled up several images from the computer, including a historical map of Africa. "It says here that the Northern White rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) formerly ranged over parts of northwestern Uganda, southern South Sudan, the eastern part of Central African Republic, and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their range possibly extended as far west as Lake Chad, into Chad and Cameroon.

"Poachers reduced their population from 500 to just 15 in the 1970s and 1980s. From the early 1990s through mid-2003, the population recovered to more than 32 animals. Sadly, poaching had intensified in mid-2004 and further devastated the wild population of rhinos."

"Why were so many of them killed?"asked JZ, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Rhinos had been hunted for centuries for their horns, which are used to made handles for daggers. They're also the main ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, claiming that ground up rhino horn can cure cancer or hangovers."the Kratt in blue explained.

"But those claims are bogus."added Chris in displeasure. "Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material your fingernails are made out of."

"So what's Sudan's story?" asked JZ, wanting to know more.

"Sudan was captured in the country of Sudan in 1975 when he was two years old. He was later shipped to the Dvůr Králové Zoo in Czech Republic where he lived until 2009, when he was relocated here to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy for a "Last Chance To Survive" breeding program, along with three other Northern White rhinos, his daughter Najin and Fatu his granddaughter ."added the blonde ranger. "We had hoped that Ol Pejeta would provide a more natural habitat for the animals to induce breeding."

"But sadly, Sudan has been technically infertile for years, meaning IVF is the Northern White rhino's final hope."said Koki.

"IVF?" The Tortuga pilot was puzzled to say the least.

"In Vitro Fertilization."the young scientist replied. "It's a process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm outside the body, in vitro, or in other words, 'in glass'."

JZ lit up in understanding. "Oh. So what you're saying is that this species' best chance now is to be grown in a lab? Like back in Jurassic Park?"

"That's the gist of it."said Aviva.

"Sudan is gravely ill."said Laura sadly. "I fear that he won't last the night."

"You mean if they don't make it, the Northern White rhinos will soon become... well, you know, ex–" but everyone cut off Jimmy Z, all yelling, " _ **Don't you say it!**_ "

The redhead shrank in his seat, met with the glowering expressions of the team. Even Amber's usual orange scales burned bright red, yellow eyes narrowed in anger.

After glaring down upon the pizza-eating pilot, Martin once again turned to the computer panel. "Hang on, Laura! We're on our way!"

"Oh, asante marafiki zangu! I'll let the others know about your arrival! Bye!" Then she signed off.

Not another moment was wasted as everyone made their preparations for the journey ahead.

"Hurry, Jimmy!"said Koki from the database. "Here are a coordinates! Set our course for Kenya!"

The sun had nearly sank below the African horizon when the terrapin silhouette of the Tortuga hovered over the grassy plains and woodlands. Below the turtle ship laid the destination: the main lodge of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Laura and a team of uniformed guards stood a safe distance away from the landing vessel, waiting expectantly on the arrival of their guests.

Before too long, the maw of the Tortuga opened and out came a metal ramp that carried the Wild Kratts team out to meet their hosts, Martin and Chris in the lead.

"Hi Laura!"

The blonde ranger raced forward to greet the two creature adventurers. "Salamu Martin! Jambo Chris!" She shook hands with Chris and wrapped her arms around the older Kratt in a warm embrace. "Good to see you!"

"My cracked ribs and I are happy to see you too!" Martin replied, feeling his face warming up, earning muffled chuckles from the rest of the team. Aviva, Koki, and Jimmy also exchanged their greetings to Laura and the rangers when a loud roar rumbled from within the lodge. As the Bros looked past the doorway, their eyes widened in fright upon seeing a tawny figure standing on the porch.

"Lion!"

The tech crew quickly scattered out of the way, leaving Martin and Chris at the mercy of the charging male lion who tackled the two to the ground, pinning them under his weight.

To everyone's utter surprise, the rangers simply laughed at the scene. "I'm sure you all remember Survivor."said Laura once she found her voice to speak.

Suddenly it came together. _"_ Wait. _That's_ Survivor?"asked Aviva incredulously as she looked at the big cat who was now scraping his raspy tongue against the bros' faces. She remembered when Survivor was an orphaned cub whom the team had rescued after his pride was killed by poachers more than four years ago. Survivor proved to be rambunctious and enthusiastic about everything, watching Aviva make her inventions, always with a crooked head; the young lion was also fascinated at the animals Chris and Martin brought back to the Tortuga, and even made a friend with Nubs the Black rhino calf. He stayed with the team until they brought him to the conservancy where Laura took it upon herself to be the cub's adoptive mother.

"Last time we saw him, he was only a cub!" Koki recalled, stunned at the dramatic growth of the once tiny cub as Jimmy looked on, mouth agape.

In a flash, the downed Kratt Brothers recognized the lion standing before them. Or rather on top of them.

"Survy!"exclaimed Martin as he patted Survivor's big head. "Good to see you too, buddy!" He scratched him in his favorite places, and a low, rumbling growl let the older Kratt know his pleasure as he rolled over on his back to let him scratch his stomach.

"Look how much you've grown!" Chris chuckled, ruffling the feline's rufous mane. Their initial fear gone, Aviva, Koki, and Jimmy couldn't resist fussing over the huge male lion who rolled like a happy house cat, enjoying the extra attention.

Suddenly Laura and the other rangers drew back in fright as a large reptilian creature darted out of the HQ, before standing behind the Wild Kratts team on its hind legs bristling with formidable claws, a long, skinny tail waving from side to side. The creature in question tilted its scaly head in an almost birdlike manner.

"What is that creature?"asked one guard nervously, shaking hands on his rifle.

"Ni mnyama wa ajabu!"screamed another in terror.

Even Survivor tilted his head in confusion upon seeing this strange, alien creature that was unlike anything he had seen before.

"Who– who's your friend?"asked a wide eyed Laura.

Martin and Chris raised their eyebrows at the rangers' reactions until they looked back to see the cause of their concern.

"Oh. Hey Amber."said the Kratt in green casually. Amber chirped a greeting.

"Oh right!"said Martin sheepishly as he began introductions, his hand upon the raptor's head. "Laura, this is Amber. Amber, Laura."

 _ **"Greetings, friend!"**_ said the Velociraptor, playfully nudging against the woman's chest.

If Laura wasn't surprised before, she certainly was now. "Wow! It talks!"

"What sorcery is this?"asked one of the guards.

Aviva and Koki giggled in response. "Oh no. The only magic here is the Creature Thought Translator, made by yours truly."answered the inventor, patting Amber's scaly head adorned with a flat, gray mechanical pad with a hint of turquoise.

 _ **"Aviva made me this hat so that I may talk– GECKO!"**_ Here the raptor's head suddenly darted towards the bush where her sharp eyes caught sight of a well camouflaged gecko crawling along the grass. Five seconds passed before she turned her attention back to the humans. _**"Aviva is good and smart."**_

"Aww. Thanks, sweetie."cooed the inventor as she scratched behind the theropod's ear slits. As Amber purred in bliss, Aviva once again addressed the rangers. "The CTT has been modified to read the brainwaves of the animal who wears it. See, the brainwaves are then transmitted here; the monitor then translates the thoughts into English using the digital voice."

To say that Laura was amazed would be a slight understatement. "Outstanding." She tentatively outstretched her hand for the raptor who sniffed it inquisitively. Her blue eyes flew wide open as she felt a wet tongue licking her palm.

"Don't worry. She won't bite."said Koki reassuringly.

 _ **"No I won't."**_

Casting aside her fear , the ranger tentatively reached out to gently touch the dinosaur's scaly hide, which was surprisingly warm for a creature of reptilian origin. Amber purred upon contact, raising her head to allow the awestruck woman to stroke under her chin. Laura smiled. The other rangers soon joined in, their initial trepidation gone, replaced by awe and fascination.

After making her acquaintance with the rangers, Amber turned her attention to an equally curious Survivor. The two carnivores eyed each other warily, sniffing each other as close as they dared. Eventually, the young dinosaur gently nudged her snout against the cat's shaggy mane, warbling a friendly chuff.

 _ **"He is so fluffy!"**_ cooed the Velociraptor as she relished in the softness of the lion's mane.

Survivor, on his part, didn't so much as bare a single tooth as this strange oversized lizard carried the familiar scent of his cubhood rescuers. Instead, the big cat grated his rough tongue on Amber's cheek, earning a mechanical giggle from her CTT.

From the sidelines, both teams watched as these two radically different species, ancient and modern, interact with each other, relieved that neither one displayed any sign of aggression.

 _This is definitely something worth adding to the Creature Life List,_ thought the Kratt in green. _An encounter between a living African lion and an extinct Velociraptor. Wait a minute. Extinct.._ In a flash, Chris then remembered the reason he and his team were here. "Where's Sudan?"he asked.

"He's in his pen." Laura answered, her gloom returning. "He can't walk around as much as he used to. Forty five is very old age for a rhino."

"Come. We will take you to him."said one ranger in broken English.

"Thanks Mr– umm..." Martin paused. "Sorry. I didn't catch your name."

"Zacharia Mutai."came the reply as the guard offered the Kratts his right hand.

Zacharia then led the Wild Kratts to a wooden stockade where Sudan was being held. The gate parted, allowing everyone, ranger and creature adventurer alike, to file inside the enclosure where, laying motionless on a bed of hay, was Sudan himself, the last of the Northern White rhinos.

 _ ****** Just in case y'all were wondering, this story takes place some time between Of Raptors And Kratts and The Lost World, which should explain why there's a Velociraptor... :P**_

 _ **And as a warning, this story is not one with a happy ending.**_

 _ **Laura Wilkinson is a character who was inspired by SilverWaterBombadil's Kitty Carlo (SilverWater served as a major inspiration when it came to fanfics..) .She may not be a shapeshifter here, but she's a wildlife ranger who's a lot tougher than she looks. She's voiced by Grey Griffin, a.k.a Grey DeLisle. (Daphne Blake from Scooby-Doo)**_

 _ **Survivor the lion is also a nod to SilverWater, in this case he's the lion cub who appeared in the Let the Rhinos Roll episode.**_

 _ **Part Two coming soon..**_


	2. Farewell

At the threshold of the pen, the Wild Kratts team gawked at the Northern White rhinoceros before them. Weighing in at nearly 8,000 pounds, Sudan was an impressive specimen of his kind; only the elephant was bigger. Resting on his snout were two horns, now reduced to rounded stubs to deter poachers. But for all his sheer bulk and thick-skinned appearance, the white rhino laid motionless on the ground, completely vulnerable, his grayish hide riddled with what looked like bedsores. Crouched at his side was the head vet, medical equipment laid out nearby.

The rhino's eyesight was poor at best, but his sensitive nose and acute hearing alerted him of visitors, causing his long hairy ears to perk up.

Laura and Zacharia were the first to approach the ailing behemoth.

"Sudan. Hey buddy."the blonde ranger greeted sweetly, affectionately patting Sudan's shoulder. "Here's some nice people who have come to see you."

"Magnífico."said a wide-eyed Aviva.

 _ **"Wow. He is most enormous."**_ Amber observed, bobbing and tilting her head quizzically.

"You said it, Amber." Koki replied, no less impressed.

"He's so... wrinkly."said JZ, for lack of a better word.

The Kratt Bros made their way before the infirm pachyderm, crouching down to his eye level. "Hi Sudan. I'm Martin."greeted the older of the two in the same gentleness he would a hospital patient.

"And I'm Chris."added his brother.

In unison they whispered. "We're the Kratt Brothers."

 _ **"Hi. I am Amber."**_ greeted the young raptor, bringing her scaly snout before the rhino's line of sight. Needless to say, Sudan snorted as he lifted his great head, raising his ears in what looked to be astonishment. It seemed that even in his advanced years, the world was full surprises. The old vegetarian seemed to settle once Survivor joined the young dinosaur's side; Sudan was more familiar with the lion whom he had known as a cub, oftentimes allowing him to rest under the rhino's huge shadow for shade or playfully bat at his horns.

"We're all very honored to meet you." Chris said, speaking for all his team.

With his guardians' approval, the rest of the Wild Kratts crew approached the downed beast. Despite his fearsome exterior and seemingly rough hide, his small weak eyes told the team of a gentle soul, and his thick skin was surprisingly soft.

"Aww. He's a real sweetie pie."cooed the Tortuga technician as Sudan rolled over to one side, allowing her to scratch his vast shoulder.

"How old is he?"asked JZ.

"45." Laura replied. "Over a hundred years in human terms."

 _ **"So he is as old as Grandfather Hammond?"**_ asked Amber, tilting her head in childlike curiosity.

Aviva giggled. "I guess you can say that."

"What happened to you, big guy?"asked Martin as he and Chris were fussing over the downed rhino, rubbing his ears and scratching his favorite spots.

"Last year Sudan had an infection on his left back leg. After the vets treated it, he seemed to be his old self." Zacharia informed.

"But it looks like the sickness has returned, but much worse than before."said Dr. Stephen Ngulu, the lead veterinarian. "He has stopped eating, he can no longer walk."

"How long has he been down?"asked the Kratt in green.

"Two weeks."replied the vet, absentmindedly stroking the rhino's blunted horn. The old pachyderm hardly moved, only taking slow, deep breaths that came out in snorts.

"I'll do a medical check."said Aviva, pulling out her Creaturepod. "Deploy body scan!" With the touch of a button, the inventor scanned the old rhino in order to look deeper than the surface, virtually dissecting the anatomy. Sudan didn't seem to mind as he remained upon his bed of straw, allowing the violet beams to pass over his body. The results came in.

"Oh no. Degenerative changes in his muscles and bones."

"Must be osteoarthritis or some other age-related illness." Koki concluded.

"Time's been pretty hard on you, huh old timer?"mused Chris, patting Sudan's shoulder.

 _ **"Poor thing."**_ said Amber, warbling sadly; even though she could hardly understand the medical terms the humans tossed around, she felt sorry for the infirm pachyderm.

"It's too bad nobody's invented walkers for a four-ton rhino." Jimmy Z remarked.

Upon hearing the pilot's innocent remark, Aviva's eyes lit up. She snapped her fingers. "I got it!" Without further notice, the inventor raced out of the enclosure, much to everyone's puzzlement. She promptly returned with what looked like a medical cast. "Ta-da! This special bandage will help heal Sudan's leg so he can get back on his feet as quickly as possible."

"It... just might work."said Martin optimistically.

"I know I've said this countless times but, Aviva, you're a genius!"exclaimed the Kratt in green with excitement before planting a quick peck on his girlfriend's cheek. This earned a giggle from the inventor who then made her way to Sudan's backside.

If the old rhinoceros had any objections to Aviva's quick inspection of his crippled hind leg, he didn't in the least show it.

"Don't worry; your leg will feel better soon, big guy." That being said, the inventor gently wrapped the cast over the injury. A few adjustments to make sure it was secure. Done.

A moment of silence. No one uttered a single syllable. No one that is except for Amber, who chirped to Sudan in encouragement.

 _ **"Come on, Sudan. You can do it!"**_

Feeling sudden strength returning to his leg, the elderly rhinoceros took in a deep breath before slowly rising to his feet as his keepers and the visitors watched in suspense. Once fully supported by all fours, he tentatively took his first steps in over two weeks. The excruciating pain in his left hind leg that left him bedridden was no longer present. The young Velociraptor walked alongside him on one side, the lion on the other, both carefully watching the herbivore's progress with each step. Confidence growing, Sudan's steps increased until he found himself lumbering with the stride of a much younger rhino.

The minute Sudan was slowly walking around in his enclosure, testing his new walking apparatus, everyone, ranger and creature adventurer alike, released breaths they hadn't realized they were holding.

"It worked! It actually worked!"Aviva cheered triumphantly.

"You did it, Aviva!"acclaimed the Kratt Brothers, soon joined by Koki, Jimmy and Amber. None were more ecstatic and joyful than Laura and the rangers who broke into rounds of applause.

"Ni muujiza!"

"Sudan is walking again!"

"I cannot thank you all enough!"said the blonde ranger cheerfully, wrapping her arms around the closest person in the vicinity, which happened to be Martin.

"Don't mention it, Laura."he replied, feeling his face heat up. "Least we can do."

Eventually Sudan ambled over to the inventor, giving her a gentle nudge with his snout. Well, as gentle a nudge as a four-ton vegetarian could accomplish. "Oof! You're welcome, sweetie!"

"I think he's trying to say thank you." the blonde ranger remarked.

Over the course of the next few days, Sudan seemed to be his old self again, wandering about under the watchful eyes of his guardians and taking long, cool mud baths accompanied by the Kratt Brothers. He munched on his favourite foods, hay and carrots. And he spent time with the Wild Kratts team, all the better to be acquainted with them. Everyone's spirits were briefly lifted.

But it is said that all good things must come to an end. One day, the ancient rhinoceros laid motionlessly in his pen, as though turned to stone. Thankfully he was still breathing, but despite all his keepers' gentle coaxing, he refused to rise. This caused great concern for everyone who gathered around the downed beast.

"It's almost as if– as if he's thrown in the towel."the computer whizz remarked gravely after their latest medical scan. Now it was a matter of touch and go.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing more we can do."murmured Aviva, wiping away a few tears from her eyes. Not even the most brilliant minds could stop the long term effects of aging. His ailments were too severe. His spirit had gone out of him. He had become old, damaged. Broken. Nothing lasts forever.

The rest of the team bowed their heads solemnly. Even energetic Amber was as still as stone.

"There _has_ to be something we can do." Laura protested.

"Miss Laura. We all knew this day would come."said Stephen sadly.

"But he's the last male of his species left on the face of the earth!" Just then, a hand rested on the ranger's shoulder. She looked up to see Chris gazing down upon her softly, his brown eyes betraying a hint of sorrow.

"Laura. As much as it pains me to say this, he's right. Sudan's lived up to a ripe old age for a rhino. And not many have that kind of luxury these days."

Martin soon joined his brother's side. The Kratt in blue took on a faraway look as he knelt next to the fallen rhinoceros, stroking his shoulder. "If our adventures have taught us anything, it's that it doesn't matter how long we've lived, but how fully we've lived."he said rather philosophically. "The good we've done, the friends we've made, the love we've shared along the way." Sudan weakly nudged the creature adventurer with his snout, just as though he understood him.

"Believe us, living forever's not all it's cracked up to be."added the younger Kratt, remembering their time as immortal jellyfish and narrowly escaping ending up on Zach's dinner table. He visibly shuddered at the memory.

"Todos somos hojas que pasan en el viento, aquí y allá."said Aviva, remembering an old saying from her childhood.

Seeing the puzzled looks of the African rangers, Chris translated. "She said that we're all leaves passing in the wind, here and gone."

"But while we're here, we live to the fullest."added Koki, blinking back a few unshed tears.

"Your mission to protect Sudan is complete."said Martin reassuringly. "He's lived a very good life. You have kept him and the other rhinos safe."

Laura took one look into the ancient rhino's eyes, tears running down his dusty face. He had accepted his fate. She cast her old friend a rather sad smile; they had at least extended his life to a few more days. It was time to rescue him from further suffering. The ranger wrapped her arms around the huge neck as much as she could, resting her face against the massive head, unashamed of the tears running down her blue eyes.

Dark storm clouds began to gather from above. Then the rain began to pour. No thunder. No lightning. Only a heavy downpour that drowned out the usual evening choruses of the African bush save for the songs of a lonely bird, chirping ' _go away, go away, go away_.' .

Zacharia took on a faraway expression as he looked to the sky. "When he was first brought back to Africa, we had these torrential rains. The first thing that he did was to roll and wallow in the mud. We realized it was the first time he had rolled in African mud since he was a young rhino." He smiled at the memory. "It was a beautiful watching him reconnect with where he came from."

Even from his place lying on his side, Sudan lifted his head, his ears perked as though he too remembered those early days. Outside the enclosure, Fatou and Najin laid in the mud dozing, the last two of their kind in the world.

The following morning, the Wild Kratts team, Laura and a multitude of other rangers were gathered around the mound of earth in the heart of the African bush under the shelter of a tree. A number of armed guards and their dogs dedicated in protecting Sudan and the other rhinos were also in attendance.

Martin and Chris stood in the lead of the funeral procession, both adorned in Rhino Power Suits in Sudan's honor. By their side, Koki and Laura each held a bouquet of wild flowers while Jimmy lowered his baseball cap to his heart in respect. Survivor and Amber lowered their heads solemnly, both animals sensing the mournful atmosphere of the gathering, the lion gently rubbing his mane against the ranger's left hip. The young raptor rested her scaly head on Martin's shoulder, warbling sadly, the usual cheerful glow gone from her amber eyes.

A moment of silence reigned under the rising African sun.

Finally, Chris began, saying, "Today the creature world mourns the loss of

Sudan, one of the last of the Northern White rhinos left on earth. Yours was a mighty race that withstood the test of time, surviving for millions of years. You had no natural enemies; not even the lion, the king of beasts himself, would lay a claw on your seemingly impenetrable hide." This remark caused Survivor to look up at the green rhino in mild offense.

Martin continued for his brother, his voice breaking slightly. "You were the lord over the savanna until Man the Hunter shot and killed your kind by the thousands for your magnificent horns that were once borne with pride."

"Which are sold illegally for traditional Chinese medicine."the younger Kratt chimed.

"But they're really made of keratin, the same substance our hair and fingernails are made of."added the blue rhino.

"You, Sudan, were one of the lucky ones,"said Koki, after clearing her throat. "You were protected within a protective sanctuary in a world of carnage, along with two other rhinos of your subspecies." The technician cast a wink to Laura and her fellow rangers who had shed so much blood, sweat, and tears to care for the benign thick-skinned mammal.

"You were given the care, the love and protection you truly deserved."added Laura, tears running down her cheeks.

"You lived to a ripe old age of 45 in this safe haven, without fear of the poacher's bullet or poisoned arrow, living out your days in peace as your ancestors had, as any rhino should."said Martin solemnly.

"You were a good friend."added Zacharia. "It really saddens me that a creature so powerful, a thick skinned warrior who can make even lions think twice, can also be so vulnerable and dependent upon our help."

"Forgive us. We have failed you."

Suddenly, the two humanoid rhinos were knocked over from behind by something big.

"Ahhh! Oof!"

"Very funny, Amber."mumbled Chris in mock severity.

 _ **"It was not me,"**_ replied the Velociraptor ten feet away, shaking her head.

"Surv. Is that you buddy?"asked Martin. But he was answered by a low rumble from the lion who remained at his surrogate mother's side.

Everyone else, even Survivor, slowly backed away, their eyes widened as though they saw a honey badger. Even the normally fearless guard dogs whimpered in fear, tails tucked between their legs. The bros' eyes widened.

"Then who–" Martin was cut short by a "Mmwonk!"

In that moment, a large shadow draped over them. Martin and Chris slowly looked up to see–

"Nubs!"

Before the downed Kratt Brothers stood the Black rhinoceros the Kratts had known since he was a calf. But time had made a dramatic difference: at four years of age, the adorable baby rhino they rescued had grown into fully fledged, independent bull, and in the place of his stumpy nub were two long horns. But for all his bulk, it would be another six years until Nubs would be able to claim a territory and mate of his own.

The young rhinoceros honked a friendly "Mmwonk!" as he gently nudged his human friends.

"Good to see you too, buddy!"chuckled the green rhino, patting his pachyderm pal's rough shoulder.

"You've gotten bigger!"the older Kratt observed, placing his hands on Nubs' cheeks. "What have they been feeding you?"

"You guys can come out of hiding! It's only Nubs!"called Chris, addressing the others hidden somewhere in the brush. It wasn't long before the procession came out of hiding, realizing that the Black rhinoceros was not a threat.

The Kratt Bros then resumed their speech, their spirits now lifted with this unexpected visit.

"While it's the end of your long road, Sudan, the story of the Rhino doesn't end with you,"said Chris, his initial gloom lifted, a small glimmer of hope in his brown eyes. "We still have a chance to save your southern kin,"

"Your cousin the unstoppable Black rhino,"added the older Kratt, leaning against Nubs' front horn.

"And your jungle-dwelling relatives from the Far East: the Indian one horn, the elusive Javan, and the hairy Sumatran rhino."

"Their fate now rests in our hands."said Koki.

"Guys! Guys!" Everyone, the Wild Kratts team especially, turned to the direction of the voice where they saw Aviva racing up to them on her Hover Bike.

"Aviva! What took you so long?"asked the Kratt in green.

"Sorry I'm late. I've got some really exciting news; I was able to acquire some of Sudan's genetic material!"– here the scientist held up a little glass vial that contained the rhino's DNA. "Hopefully we can use in-vitro fertilization to bring the subspecies back." Aviva then stored the precious vial into a cooled compartment in her M.I.K, keeping it safely preserved.

"That's wonderful!"said Chris, pulling his girlfriend into a rather tight embrace.

"We _gotta_ talk to Mr. Hammond about bringing back Northern White rhinos into the world!"added Martin, already thinking of the possibility of a resurrection.

 _ **"Oh yes! It will be most glorious!"**_ shrieked Amber cheerfully, wagging her tail in excitement.

"Yeah; he'll be more than happy to agree."chimed Koki.

"Operation: Lazarus!"remarked JZ.

Chris continued his speech. "Your passing was not in vain; you were an ambassador for so many other species that need our attention, amazing animals on the brink of extinction."

"Not to mention you were nominated by Tinder last year as the most eligible bachelor in the world."added Martin, causing the whole procession to roar in laughter.

"In a world of 7 billion people, we must see ourselves as part of the landscape," continued the green rhino. "Our fate is linked to the fate of the animals. We are so intricately connected. So much so that if we lose one species, everything starts to fall apart."

"Not all is lost."added Aviva. "Perhaps someday, through some genetic breakthrough, we humans will right the wrongs we have done, and your descendants will once again roam the savannah."

"Living free and in the wild."

Once Sudan's eulogy had concluded, everyone took turns to place flowers over the grave. Even Amber and Survivor participated, the former using her surprisingly dexterous hands to handle a clawful of wildflowers while the latter carried them in his mouth. Needless to say, it took all of the Rhino brother's powers of persuasion to prevent a certain young Black rhinoceros from eating them.

After joining Laura and the Ol Pejeta rangers in a few prayers and songs in Swahili, each of the team went to pay Sudan their respects.

"Rest In Peace, big guy."said Martin, wiping a tear from his eyes.

"See you on the creature trail."whispered Koki, her eyes watery from unshed tears.

"Descansa en paz."sniffed Aviva, sticking close to Chris, holding his hand.

Jimmy broke into weeping, his hat placed on his chest. "We're gonna miss you, Sudan!"

If raptors could shed tears, Amber's eyes would have been watering. _**"Goodbye, friend!"**_ The primeval predator lifted her head to the heavens, piercing the air with spine-chilling howls of grief never before heard on the Dark Continent. Survivor's mournful roars echoed across the savannah, his own way of bidding an old friend farewell.

"Nia ya rafiki wa zamani!"sobbed Laura in her second language, collapsing to her knees before the grave of her old friend. "I will miss you dearly."

The hardy ranger wept bitterly, clenching the sun baked earth when she presently felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her neck. Laura turned, her blue eyes making contact with the gentle orbs of Martin. She returned the embrace, burying her face into the Kratt in blue's shoulder, releasing all of her sorrows and sadness. Close by, Survivor rubbed his mane against his grieving caretaker in comfort as Martin gently rubbed the smalls of her back. He was shortly joined by the rest of the team, who came together in a group hug.

The party then made their way back to base. Chris was the last to leave. Turning to the earthen mound, he said reverently, unashamed of the tears running down his face, "See you on the other side, Sudan. We won't let you down. Wild Kratt's honor." He then turned to follow the others.

 _ ****** In loving memory of Sudan, the last male Northern White rhinoceros. Lost but never forgotten. (1973-2018)**_


End file.
